


Little Sister AU

by AlunaGray



Series: carnivorous castles in the air [5]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Crossover, Drabbles, Family, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Gen, Ruminant AU, Sassy!Kyoya
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25663534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlunaGray/pseuds/AlunaGray
Summary: Hibari Kyoya is reborn as Nara Shikamaru's little sister. Chaos ensues. A Naruto and Katekyo Hitman Reborn crossover story. AU.A spin-off of Ruminant.
Series: carnivorous castles in the air [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/970410
Comments: 20
Kudos: 317
Collections: Keep it a Secret





	1. Chapter 1

Little Sister AU - **I**

* * *

 **Summary:** Where Nara Shikari is born just a wee bit later and Shikamaru questions the mental health of the people around him.

* * *

**1.**

Shikamaru didn't know what he did in his past life to deserve the little sister he was saddled with but it must have been pretty bad when he got one that had acquired the hobby of "biting him to death" at the tender age of three.

He wasn't kidding.

No matter what his mother always said whenever he brought the topic up or the indulgent looks his father sent him whenever he protested about the treatment he'd gotten-

He wasn't- he wasn't going _crazy_.

Shikamaru would know. He already checked from the books he'd borrowed from Inoichi-oji's library. If anyone was, it was the others for thinking that Nara Shikari's a "sweetie pie" or a "darling" or whatever cutesy nickname the people around him managed to come up with to describe his younger sister.

He wouldn't be duped.

That damn toddler was a terrifying, insidious menace and everyone was a fool for not seeing it.

Shikamaru shook his head in disgust at the shallowness of people and their inability to put up a fight against dimpled cheeks and adorable babies while cautiously looking at his surroundings in case his mother got mind-reading powers sometime after breakfast and heard him swear. He wouldn't be surprised if the woman did - Kami knew his mother was _terrifying_ and could get incensed for the er- _littlest_ of things.

(If his mother gets angry during the times when he would ditch his responsibilities around the house- well Shikamaru had a good reason for that.

He was a growing boy.

He needed sleep.

If his nap times somehow managed to always strike during times where he should be doing his chores that's just luck and coincidence, he tells you.

Luck and coincidence.)

Shikamaru swore his mother had it out for him. It was unfair. She wasn't like that with his sister-

(He chose to ignore the infuriatingly reasonable voice in his head that said it was understandable since precociousness aside, his sister was a three-year-old and the comparison he was making wasn't, in any shape or form, fair.

That voice was irritating, truly.)

She could do no wrong, the little angel, Shikamaru mockingly mouthed as he looked up from the sky and remembered the fussing the clan did to the haughty toddler.

Shikari practically got all of the others wrapped under her little finger but Shikamaru knew better. That baby was trouble since she first said her first sentence and Shikamaru would stand by that belief even if Shikari was admittedly... _cute_ for a brat.

He grimaced at the thought but couldn't bring himself to retract the description since it was, undeniably, the truth.

"What a drag."

* * *

When Shikamaru first heard his mother was pregnant, he immediately thought it would be nice to look out for someone for a change. A little sister, maybe, to avoid pesky little brother-inferiority-complexes that makes everything troublesome in the long run and, perhaps, well- hopefully _influence_ her not to be another version of Ino or their mother.

With a little bit of doting and attention, it would probably work. Little sisters were supposed to idolize their older brothers, after all, and Shikamaru's sure he could muster enough energy to bring out that kind of fervor.

He got it all planned.

Shikamaru would train her to like shogi, see naps and cloud-watching as a valid hobby, and be as unharpy-like as possible.

His little sister would be the most untroublesome girl that a Nara could ever meet and a useful heater when he wanted to have some cuddle time.

Chouji's good but he's not always there so having a sister like that would be amazing.

It was supposed to be perfect.

Until the baby was actually born and everything went bananas.

Nothing was ever right again.

Not by a long shot.

* * *

"Shikamaru, can you bring your sister to the park today? I would be busy filling up some-" His mother asked as she fussed over the pouting baby in front of him.

"What," Shikamaru managed to choke out as he coughed out the water that went down the wrong tube.

"Yes," His mother's eyes glinted in warning. "I have to fill up some paperwork, you see - tie up some loose ends and Shikari was getting fussy inside the clan grounds. A bit of fresh air would be good for her." She smiled sharply. "Besides, Kasuga-kun volunteered to watch over you so it wouldn't be much of a bother, so be a good brother, ne?" She bustled around the dining table and turned to his little sister. "Shikari-chan, would you like more water?"

The baby scrunched up her nose before nodding her head regally.

What.

Shikamaru wanted to bang his head on something.

Ugh.

This would be a drag.


	2. Chapter 2

Little Sister AU - **II**

* * *

 **Summary:** Where Itachi has been replaced as younger!Shikari's pet. Aw. Sorry, 'Tachi.

* * *

**2.**

Nara Shikari, formerly known as Hibari Kyoya, was bored as fuck.

His Mukuro-haired older brother was napping again with Chouji, and tormenting Kasuga, his babysitter, was getting old since the herbivore only cooed at his attempts.

It was _irritating_.

Sighing exasperatedly at the sight of screeching small animals in the place his "brother" brought him to, Kyoya sneaked away once Kasuga napped along Shikamaru's side and snatched himself a stick along the way.

Maybe he could patrol this territory to pass the time.

* * *

Uchiha Shisui could only look on incredulously as a toddler beat several academy students with a stick.

What in the world is happening here?

He just left the compound to buy some snacks, because Sasuke, his little cousin, was a brat and didn't appreciate his _glorious_ presence. He could never say no to a sassy, reproachful Itachi - Shisui never could these days, because he knew Itachi had it harder than most - and well, the bonding time would be good to ease the stress lines on his partner's face.

(Itachi was thirteen for fudge's sake. Those _stress lines_ shouldn't even be in there.)

Shisui even went an extra mile and got it from the store near the park, since he knew Itachi would appreciate the gesture. He always lived for the days where his little cousin acted his age. It was...well- adorable. And yes, he knew that sounded creepy so shut up, it's not like that.

It's - Shisui believed it's because of Kakashi's influence, that _butt_. The uptight jounin had eventually started up this weird schtick where he called all his kohai adorable and act like an all-around troll in every sense of the word, and Shisui admitted there was a time in his life where the guy was actually his idol so now, well-

Some of his senpai's mannerisms may or may not have bled into his personality at some point.

A particularly sharp prod on one student - Yamanaka from the looks of it, although the coloring was wrong - from the rampaging child made him wince in pity and brought him back from his musings.

That must have _hurt_.

Shisui sighed before he flickered to the toddler's side silently. "Hey kid, where's your mother?"

The toddler ignored him and proceeded to beat up her...victims - for the lack of a better word to use.

Hefting the child on one arm, Shisui handily sneaked his dango on one of his pockets - thank _goodness_ he had it packed in a bag - as the girl turned to him with a frown.

"Put me down herbivore." She commanded bossily.

"Why should I?" He asked, raising his brow skeptically, even as he faltered from the cuteness the toddler commanded like a weapon.

"I'm keeping the peace." She huffed haughtily.

...Shisui melted.

He was done.

That was- that was _adorable_. Those chubby cheeks huffed - they _puffed_ and 'twas adorable.

"Do you want to be a ninja, then?" Shisui asked, after a minute of getting a hold of himself.

The toddler's eyes glinted in the light at the unfamiliar world and practically shone as it bore down on him intently. " _Ninja?_ "

Shisui nodded, walking away from the...rampage and accepting the looks of thanks from the survivors subtly. "Ninja's are shinobi who protect the village. They keep the peace, and grow strong to protect their love ones from harm."

"Carnivores," The child breathed out excitedly.

Shisui fought the urge to squeeze the charming bundle in his arms lest he squeeze her too much and hurt her. "Yes, carnivores." He nodded indulgently. "They sharpen their teeth, claws and fangs to survive and protect."

Shisui, honest to Kami, almost squealed when the kid visibly composed herself, as if just realizing how young she was and irrationally resenting it. She peered up at him beneath her eyelashes. "Are you a carnivore too?"

He nodded.

The girl smiled. "Wao."

With a surprisingly hard hit on his stomach, Shisui let go - he was more surprised than hurt, actually - and found himself impressed, more than anything, by the toddler's stance.

"Fight me." She said, endearingly vicious and Shisui-

Shisui smiled. "Maybe, I'll teach you later. Would you like to eat first, though?" He offered. "It's almost lunch."

The kid narrowed her brows in concentration before straightening up - apparently arriving into some sort of conclusion. She nodded at him seriously. "I'll lead you to my - " She grimaced. "Brother and pineapple."

Offering his hand to the kid, Shisui bit back a smile when she scrunched up her nose in disgust and huffed as she adorably _waddled_ in front of him to take the lead.

Shisui was dead by cuteness _overloa-_

Wait.

The kid was a Nara?

* * *

Itachi looked at him exasperatedly as he carried an exhausted Sasuke on his back. "What took you so long, Shisui?"

Shisui grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, 'Tachi. I was busy acquiring my own cuter Sasuke-minion, and lost track of time."

His younger cousin paused. He looked at Shisui warily. "Who was it?"

Shisui paused. "I-" He cocked his head to the side. "It was-" He stopped.

Itachi cracked a smile, after a minute of Shisui's continued silence. "You didn't know their name, did you?"

"I forgot to ask." He admitted, faintly embarrassed. "She was a Nara though, had an older brother about Sasuke's age." He stretched his arms at the back of his head. "The kid was cute and wanted to be a Military Police officer." He paused. "Well, kind of." Shisui amended. "She wanted to keep the peace in the village, at least, and it's-it's _nice_ Itachi. That there were still kids who didn't saw as something to be afraid of, because their parents told them to." He messed up his hair. "There are still people in the village who don't see our clan crest and automatically think we're the bad guys."

Itachi fell silent and stopped in his tracks.

"Itachi?" Shisui asked.

"That was the Nara clan-head's kid, Shisui." Itachi murmured. "The Jounin commander's daughter - Shikari. You know, the one that the clan couldn't stop boasting about these past few months."

"Ah." Shisui paused, digesting the information. "If I was adopted by her, does that mean I'm a Nara now?"

Itachi glanced at him confusedly. "What?"

"She introduced me to her brother as her pet." Shisui smiled. "It was cute. I think she really sees me as her older brother, now. She couldn't seem to stand her real one." He smirked sharply. "Her brother was _jealous_. It's obvious she likes me more than him."

"Shisui, that's not-" Itachi replied, his voice strained. "You let her call you her pet?"

"What? You let Sasuke call you his pet." Shisui argued. "I don't see why it's a _problem_ when it's with me."

"What." Itachi's eyes widened. "Sasuke didn't-"

"I thought you knew." Shisui tilted his head. "He was so proud of you too, Itachi."

Itachi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with the hand not holding Sasuke in exasperation. "I- forget about it. I'm not talking about this with you. Where's my dango, Shisui?"

Shisui faltered. He laughed nervously. "It may or may have put itself in my and an adorable girl's stomach at some point today."

Itachi frowned. "I feel kind of betrayed."

"Now you know how I feel." Shisui says dramatically, a hand on his heart just _because_ , before body-flickering away.

"Idiot," Itachi muttered fondly.


	3. Chapter 3

Little Sister AU - **III**

* * *

 **Summary:** Where Shikaku's a very indulging father.

* * *

**3.**

Shikaku had a clear idea about his youngest's personality.

After all, he spent more time with her than he did with Shikamaru when he was a babe. A few years after the war and death of the Yondaime, Shikaku's duties lightened enough that he could squeeze in his schedule a fixed time for a cuddle or two.

And well-

It was already rare for anyone in the clan to get a daughter - some theorized it was the excess Yin component in their chakra made getting a baby girl a hurdle - and after the Kyuubi's rampage, Shikaku didn't dare to take anything for granted.

(Especially when the clan took a hit after the deaths of many of their newborns and the subsequent increase of sterility in some of the clan members after the Kyuubi's insidious chakra spread in the whole village before it was sealed.)

(It was one of the reasons why they didn't take in Kushina and Minato's son, actually. The Sandaime's pronouncement of this played a part, yes, but they were _Naras_ and if they truly wanted to, they could raise the kid without pinging any alarms. However, most of the clan were clever enough to put two and two together, and in general, they believed it was already quite generous in their side not to interfere on the kid's affairs and act on their own resentment even if it wasn't necessarily the child's fault.)

(Shikaku knew that they needed the time to heal their wounds and see Uzumaki Naruto as who he was instead of the Kyuubi sealed in his body. He didn't begrudge them of their grief, so he didn't push for custody since, with the clan's mindset, it could only worsen the boy's living condition. Even if he valued his relationship with Minato and admired his sacrifice for the whole village, Shikaku still had to serve the clan's best interests and could only change their perspective one step at a time - raising the few children that they have with a view that didn't hold unto the illogical prejudice of the adults they so admired.)

She was a very precocious child.

Spoiled and pampered by the clan who treated her like a treasure, Shikari was very adept in taking a _mile_ from the inch she was given. With the exception of those that apparently had no eyes and see her unparalleled cuteness, almost no one would go against those chubby cheeks and haughty tone. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that all of them were wrapped around her pinky as her words in the clan eventually became law.

Shikaku remembered that period of time when his little girl started hating pineapples. He didn't even know what triggered her disdain and dislike of the fruit, but apparently, since in her perspective, most of the clan had hair resembling pineapples, it was up to them to adjust and bend over backward for to cater to her - regally demanding with chubby cheeks puffing up, for a clan-wide hairstyle change while she was at it.

Shikaku didn't take it seriously at first and indulged her whims by cutting his hair short, but he didn't expect that a few weeks later, all of the clan followed suit as she won over them one by one.

She was very clever too, targeting only key people with considerable influence - which meant the wives and mothers of his poor men - in order to maximize the effect with little to no effort.

Inoichi and Chouza still thought he was joking when they once asked the reason for the change, but he really wasn't.

The kid was like the littlest big boss in the clan compound and no one could go against her.

Shikaku honestly didn't know where she got that from. She resembled her mother, yes, which would have made tongues wag from some of the more traditional old farts if it wasn't evident that her eyes were all him, but-

He didn't mind.

Shikaku actually felt kind of proud by his daughter's overbearing manner even if the scheduled haircuts were kind of a pain.

He was worried though, for some time, that with her oddly aggressive personality, she wouldn't adapt outside the clan compound where people didn't have the kind of attachment that his clan members have, but he apparently shouldn't have worried.

Shikaku heard from the clan's gossip that their little girl acquired a...pet in the form of one of the Uchiha's prodigies, Uchiha Shisui, after her first outing without Yoshino as a chaperone, who according to Shikamaru's utter disgust (and barely hidden jealousy that made Shikaku grin), truly fit that description when he catered to Shikari's wishes like the best of them.

Yoshino made an attempt during dinner to correct their daughter's skewed worldview and explained how humans couldn't be pets, but well-

Shikari just hummed and smiled with dimples in her cheeks diffusing Yoshino's drive as they witnessed one of the rare instances where their baby showed happiness so blatantly.

Shikaku shook his head exasperatedly.

That kid sure knew how to play them well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Headcanon - Nara Shikaku wasn't as warm or as proactive in taking care of Uzumaki Naruto in canon despite knowing the whole story because Kyuubi's chakra led to Yoshino having complications during her birth, thereby killing Shikamaru's sibling and Shikaku's child. It was the same with the Yamanaka's and other clans with the excess of Yin in their body, so they could only take a distant approach in the face of the Kyuubi jinchuuriki.


	4. Chapter 4

Little Sister AU - **IV**

* * *

 **Summary:** Where Shisui is a slave to cuteness.

* * *

**4.**

It was Shisui's first time visiting the Nara compound.

The Uchiha clan's relationship with the Nara clan wasn't good enough to give him an excuse to visit. He also wasn't close to any of the Nara teammates he sometimes had the pleasure of working with, so Shisui hadn't, well-

-He hadn't been able to see the forest and the deer the quiet clan was known for.

With him bumping unto Shikari who, apparently, lost her babysitter again, Shisui took it upon himself to take her home.

It wasn't like he was busy and-

He did feel a bit lonely.

The clan was becoming unreasonable. Itachi had been pushed into this quagmire along with him and suffering a disease that his little cousin didn't want anyone to look into. Sasuke was being a brat again and-

Danzo-sama's orders were starting to itch on his skin.

His annoyance at his clan's bullheadedness and insufferable pride aside, in the end- they were still his _family_.

The clan bought him up after his parents died and because he was a bit talented than the average shinobi-in-training, Shisui didn't suffer as much as his now-deceased cousin, Obito, once did.

There was _bias_ , yes. The Uchiha clan was filled with flawed, subjective people that valued power and strength. It was easy to misunderstand them since they weren't comfortable in showing their emotions to people they weren't close to. They were stuffy. Absolutely insufferable at times, and the power plays inside their convoluted family tree made his adorable brain hurt, but-

They were family.

They, on a fundamental level, care for each other in a way that wasn't quite obvious - wasn't quite _seen_ , but still there if one would take care enough not to take anything for granted.

And because they were a family, only family could choke the whispers of a coup and cut down the tumor that illogically whispered for war in midst of peace hardly stabilized from attacks of the surrounding nations.

It wasn't like he was a _fool_.

Even if Shisui's aptitude wasn't as high as Itachi, it was still pretty up there and he could proudly say that despite how he acts, he did have common sense.

He could see that Danzo-sama had his own schemes.

Even when there were times when Shisui tried to convince himself that Danzo still had a conscience and would not do the Uchiha wrong on the name of his grandfather and the old coot's teammate, Uchiha Kagami, Shisui couldn't quite believe that Danzo was meddling in this issue out of the goodness of his old and wrinkly heart.

After all, Danzo was an avid follower of the Nidaime's policy to a rather extreme degree and he always did have a sore spot over the Military Police the Uchiha was given.

Moreover, Root, the organization Shisui chose to infiltrate on his own, lest Danzo got a more gullible and malleable minion, was a good example of that man's cunning.

Shisui had heard from the administration that its operations should have stopped after the war, but well-

Look at where he was now.

Shisui knew that, for all the talk about him being a prodigy, his skill was inferior in all levels compared to the old bastard, so-

He could only follow helplessly - like a marionette on strings as he danced and danced to the man's tune, hoping that he could spare Itachi in the end and minimize the casualties on his clan's side after all of this.

(He was willing to sacrifice himself to the cause if it meant the innocent ones could live after the shit-storm had passed.)

"Herbivore," Shisui heard an adorable voice suddenly squeak, interrupting his train of thought as he forcefully stopped himself from bumping into the little Nara bun glaring at him...fiercely. "Snap out of it and fight me already."

Wait.

Shisui's face turned blank as he looked at the field the Nara heiress led him to.

What.

He stared at Shikari in front of him, who was waving around a stick he swore wasn't there a second ago and paused. Just when-

Did he miss something?

Shisui smiled weakly and patted the little creampuff's head. "Didn't we agree that I'm just going to accompany you home?"

The Nara heiress, in response, puffed her cheeks up at him in an attempt to look angry.

Which of course, didn't actually work since her face was too round and cheeks too pink, but the effort was commendable.

Shisui didn't know if it was because his response came a bit too long but before he could actually reply, the little Nara heiress unconsciously stuck out her lip in grievance and-

 _Pouted_.

...Foul.

Shisui could feel his heart melt into a puddle of goo. Nara Shikari's attack was very effective.

Too cute-

Too adorable-

That right there, ladies and gentlemen, beat little Itachi's face when his little cousin first asked him to train together in Shisui's moe-loving heart.

"That's a foul," He repeated out loud.

"What?"

Shisui shook his head before waving the metaphorical white flag. He was supposed to visit Danzo later for another sinister pow-wow, but Shisui could spare the time for the little princess if she kept selling cuteness like this.

"Nothing," Shisui cheerfully smiled, gesturing for the toddler to come closer. "I'll teach how to fight. Come on. Show me your stance."

The baby looked at him disdain before starting a flurry of attacks that had Shisui looking on in approval.

He beamed - letting himself relax - as he carefully dodged around a particularly vicious kick.

Really adorable.


	5. Chapter 5

Little Sister AU - **V**

* * *

 **Summary:** Where there's angst and too much swearing in one chapter.

* * *

**5.**

When Shisui was young, he once asked Obito-nii if the clan was worth it.

After all, his older cousin always got the short end of the stick. Despite Mikoto-san's kindness, Obito-nii was criticized and ostracized by many - especially from those upstarts in the side branch.

Shisui couldn't remember exactly the reason why he asked that question, to begin with, but-

Obito's answer always stuck in him.

("Of course, they are." His older cousin said cheerfully, looking away as he put his hands behind his back. "They're family." Obito, then, paused - glancing at Shisui's baffled expression fondly. "In a world like this, you may not like them very much, but they wouldn't leave you.")

They wouldn't leave you-

 _They wouldn't leave you_ , he said.

"Hah," Shisui barked out sardonically - his voice rough, bitter, and a bit hysterical.

Maybe Shisui was remembering it wrong-

Obito wasn't that sentimental or that deep but-

His cousin said that they were worth it, so maybe- _maybe-_

They were.

(Even if Shisui lost one eye out of it.)

As Shisui's whole form trembled violently, Shisui put his hand on his one remaining eye as he waited for Itachi to come.

Thank Kami, his summon was smart. Itachi could use some help in handling this shitstorm and since he was dying anyway, at least his fucking Sharingan could still have some use.

Shisui took a deep breath as he tried to steady his breathing and get ahold of himself. Despite his best efforts, however, he's...breaking down.

Fuck.

Shisui felt a wetness run down his cheeks and fuck, fuck, fuck-

He failed.

Danzo that fucking _bastard_.

Danzo betrayed them. Shisui didn't know if the Sandaime was in on it too, but the old fucker didn't trust Shisui and thought he could get a fucking buy-one-take-one deal by getting rid of Shisui to enact his own schemes.

Shisui was that close to enacting their plan - just a bit more time and his clan could get out of the pit they dug themselves into, but fuck it, despite all his precautions, he didn't expect that Danzo had a Sharingan. If that old coot got ahold of his other eye-

Not to mention the power it would give that bastard, there was no holding back the coup that would happen if news got out.

Konoha could get destroyed.

Although Shisui may not necessarily like the sheep that composed most of the village's population, the ones that he considered _his_ were enough motivation in making sure Konoha doesn't fall and get plundered by the surrounding villages.

_Fuck._

Shisui felt his knees give way and let himself slump on the ground - just for a moment, he'll let himself have this before Itachi sees - as his eyes closed tightly.

He was a fucking failure.

He already left a note in the compound in the hopes that it would calm the clan down, but it all hinges on Itachi now.

After a moment of silence, Shisui sighed.

He's a horrible cousin.

Like. Absolutely fucking totes terrible.

And _stupid_.

Shisui knew that he could have killed Danzo earlier. It wasn't like his genius title's only for show. He had that bastard in his genjutsu, but like the arrogant prick that he was, Shisui didn't go for the kill because he didn't want to kill a fellow Konoha ninja if he could help it.

Shisui learned his lesson when he killed his former teammate out of jealousy already and he wasn't making the same mistake twice.

However, it was obvious in hindsight that his former teammate and Danzo were two different stories.

Him holding back was one of the stupidest decision Shisui's ever made since, obviously, one less fucker like Danzo would have made this world a better place.

Shisui messed up his hair in frustration.

He was the _worst_.

The sticky natto that Sasuke the brat despises.

The absolutely yummy but _detestable_ steak that makes Itachi go green.

He's even worse than- than a _herbivore_ if Shisui's going to go for baby Shikari's odd dictionary.

A worm, maybe.

Fuck.

Shisui huffed out a tired chuckle before he stood up with great difficulty after sensing Itachi's chakra approaching his location.

That kid was cute.

Shisui hoped that the little bun wouldn't miss him too much.

...

..

.

When Kyoya received the news of Uchiha Shisui's death, he sneaked out of the Nara compound and went out to find Uchiha Itachi.

Kyoya caught him just as he was picking up a duck-butt haired brat in the Academy and well-

He also got caught by one of the lackeys his parents sent to watch over him.

His carnivore mother sent good ones this time.

Fortunately, the presence of his... _brother_ made for a good excuse.

Ignoring the stupefied look his pineapple-haired brother sent him when Kyoya walked to his side in order to get closer to the Uchiha heir, Kyoya's eyes then, proceeded to bore holes in Uchiha Itachi's face.

This went on for several minutes before it succeeded in making duck-butt haired brat beside what Kyoya finally concluded as a carnivore with _herbivorous_ tendencies- uneasy.

"Aniki?" The duck-haired kid broke the silence.

The odd carnivore patted the little brat's head to reassure him before nodding at Kyoya in greeting.

Kyoya's eyes didn't leave the two's form up until they both disappeared from sight.

"So," Shikamaru coughed in an attempt to get Kyoya's attention. "Why are you here?" He asked hesitantly - his face a bit red.

Kyoya glanced at his...brother blankly.

"No."


	6. Chapter 6

Little Sister AU - **VI**

* * *

 **Summary:** Where Shikamaru is a very good brother.

* * *

**6.**

Uchiha Shisui's death hit his little sister hard.

It may not be obvious at first glance, but-

Shikamaru side-eyed the little figure beside him.

Shikari wasn't acting right.

Shikamaru yawned, adjusting to a more comfortable position as he enjoyed the warmth his body was soaking in.

The consequences of the Uchiha Massacre was long and far-reaching. Despite all the flak they were getting, Shikamaru knew that the Uchiha clan was a vital part of making the village run.

After all, they made up a significant part of the Konoha's military force. Not only did they almost exclusively handle Konoha's police sector, but their dojutsu also made them invaluable in ensuring Konoha remained at the top after the Yondaime's death.

And-

There were only so many top ninja in the village, and for all the continued insistence that Konoha was number one because of teamwork, cooperation and all that-

Shikamaru believed that only made up a quarter of it, to be honest.

(Shikamaru felt it was ridiculous to assume that the other villages didn't have the famed teamwork that Konoha has. The idea that Konoha was special in that aspect was ridiculously overblown. Maybe, he was just being egoistic and pulling things out of his arse since he wasn't really clear on the village's dynamics as a whole yet, but Shikamaru knew they weren't the only village out there with that brand of cooperation.)

(The only reason why these villages weren't as big as Konoha to begin was because Konoha did it better. For a much longer time. And well-)

The remaining part-

Shikamaru knew it lied on its _geniuses_. Its _prodigies_ that could turn the tide in a battle on their own.

The Uchiha clan had plenty of that.

The best of which included his younger sister's...pet, Uchiha Shisui or _Shunshin no Shisui_ , according to the bingo book Shikamaru found lying around somewhere when he may or may not have been investigating the man hanging around his sister, and-

The former Uchiha clan heir and the murderer of the decade, Uchiha Itachi.

Shikamaru yawned again - in a much louder tone this time since he was preoccupied with his thoughts.

He paused.

Oh, _cheese_.

Shikamaru slowly stiffened, glancing at his sister warily with his body already tensed and ready to escape the scene as soon as Shikari made a move.

The faint sound of cloth sliding on the grass almost made him flinch.

_Fuck._

His relatives may find it cute whenever Shikari starts challenging people when they interrupt her naps (apparently his aunts and cousins, those dorks, were just thankful that Shikari has a shred of Nara in her no matter how small it was), but Shikamaru wasn't one of them.

Those lunatics.

Although the punches and kicks she dished out were small, and admittedly looks kind of funny since Shikari's still plump with baby fat - they packed a lot of power.

No joke.

Shikamaru should know. He, cough, had been on the receiving end of that far more than he could count because as much as his sister might be a demon in little girl's clothing, Shikamaru had to admit that Shikari always finds the best spots in the clan grounds.

He didn't know how she did it, but Shikari always seemed to find better spots than the last ones Shikamaru managed to wheedle out of her and well-

Shikamaru had always been weak to temptation and the rare moment of Shikari not going berserk when he lied down near her spot today was a chance he couldn't miss.

And he wasted it just now, damn it.

He sighed quietly - just for a moment, taking the time to light a candle in his heart for just how low he fell ever since his little sister graced this world.

Shikamaru used to be so arrogant, so full of himself and _now-_

He was whipped just like his father was.

(And he wasn't even married yet, Kami.)

As Shikamaru waited for the inevitable "bite you to death" phrase that would signal his body to book it out of there-

He got- _well-_

He got a yawn in return.

Shikamaru felt cold.

And kind of betrayed.

This wasn't right.

Looking at his sister's apathetic face, with eyes that seemed colder than usual-

Shikamaru groaned and buried his face on his hands.

Troublesome.

* * *

Shikamaru learned a lot about himself this week.

That he was weak and yes.

He really _does_ have a sister complex.

It wasn't a good revelation to have, it took a while before he could swallow that fact, to be honest, but-

It would be useless to deny it.

After all, how could he explain the fact that he catered to the baby albino crow his sister got from somewhere like his ancestor in an attempt to cheer her up (which didn't exactly work since the baby crow was a drama queen and always snitched to Shikari once Shikamaru started getting angry).

Or the fact that he trained- yes, Kami, _trained_ with Shikari's babysitters (like that green one who was far too enthusiastic for a man in green leotards should be) and fought with her for practice just so she would stop getting into the weird slump she always got into.

He got thrashed.

Not only by Shikari, by her pet albino too.

Shikamaru could feel the crow's judgment whenever he presented food, not to the raven's taste.

It's so choosy, damn it.

Not to mention his parents cooing and _ugh._

Shikamaru's just thankful that he got permission to Shikari's napping places now.

That's honestly, the only good thing that came out of it.

And-

Shikamaru's still going to do it.

(Because, fuck, he was afraid that if he didn't-)

(Something terrible would happen.)

...

..

.

(He wasn't wrong.)


	7. Chapter 7

Little Sister AU - **VII**

* * *

 **Summary:** In which Kyoya tries to be a therapist.

* * *

**7.**

When Uchiha Sasuke woke up from Tsukuyomi, the first thing he did was-

He broke down.

Shaking silently - Sasuke stifled his sobs as he tried to come out of the illusion Itachi put him under.

It was-

It was _difficult_.

His chest hurt from smothering his cries but-

(Emotions are weaknesses, his father said.)

(And so- even if it made his lungs ache-)

(He wouldn't give other people a show.)

( _No._ )

He couldn't breathe.

* * *

Why was this happening?

Why-

Why-

Why-

( _Why_ did nii-san leave me?)

Sasuke looked at the wall blankly, ignoring the people that came to fuss over him asking and asking and asking-

What happened?

Wouldn't Sasuke like to know?

...

..

.

Sasuke wondered if it was his fault.

Maybe there was something wrong with him.

Maybe it was because he wasn't as good as his brother-

Maybe it was because he was _weak_ so-

They all died.

(Or maybe it was because Itachi was just an arsehole.)

Itachi didn't even spare anyone.

(Not the old granny that always gave him sweets.)

(Nor the baby that had this particularly gummy smile that made Sasuke feel all squishy.)

Itachi didn't even spare their parents-

_Why-_

Why did his older brother break down?

Why did he leave?

(Wasn't Sasuke enough reason to stay?)

Sasuke curled in on himself.

He didn't have anyone left.

* * *

Sasuke had many visitors ever since he insisted on checking himself out of the hospital to recover on his own.

He hated it.

It felt condescending and patronizing and if he could, he would kick them out so he could finally finish cleaning the compound on his own.

(The smell of bleach hurt his nose and the faint cloying taste of blood made him want to puke.)

(He could hire someone but-)

(He didn't want anyone to touch his clan's property.)

(They were his now.)

(Sasuke needed to take responsibility.)

Each clan in Konoha sent representatives to represent their goodwill and sympathy but his most frequent visitors include his Yamanaka therapist, the Hokage and-

Nara Shikari, Shisui's friend, and the Nara clan's heiress.

His Yamanaka "therapist" was the one he often see the most. The Yamanaka liked to interrogate Sasuke in the name of mental health and if not for the fact that Sasuke would be shaming his clan by acting like a brat, he would have slammed the door on the bastard's face several times already.

(The therapist questioned him in a manner that itched on his skin.)

(It made him want to scratch himself out until he bled.)

(The Yamanaka had a penchant for weaving webs to trap Sasuke into - slowly but surely strangling Sasuke with his words up until Sasuke could only helplessly reveal himself bare in front of the man.)

The Hokage too, from time to time, visited. Attempting to reach a common ground as he tried to ingratiate himself with Sasuke for whatever agenda the old man had.

Sasuke wasn't stupid and acted according to what the old man expected.

(He wasn't dumb enough to cut off relations with someone that had his life on his hands so-)

(Even if he wanted to ask so badly about how the massacre was even possible or why didn't anyone notice what's happening, _for fuck's sake were the ANBU all just for show-_ )

(He could only keep mum and keep his head down.)

And-

Nara Shikari.

Sasuke didn't really know what to feel about her.

The first time she went inside the compound to visit was with her mother - bringing him tomato soup that Sasuke surprisingly enjoyed and then-

She just came on her own after that. Every day, lounging on the Uchiha's clan grounds as if it was hers. Occasionally bringing tomatoes and dropping them in his door as if in offering.

Sasuke was too tired to snap at her to get out already and he did try at first but-

It wasn't as if she was a disturbance.

The kid wasn't noisy and liked to keep to herself so Sasuke just helplessly let her go wild on her own.

(And-)

(The quiet presence of the heiress whenever Sasuke practiced on and on and on until his whole body hurt was comforting, in a way.)

(It soothed the frustration he felt for the world in general, at least.)

(Sasuke knew it pathetic since the kid was probably only there to hide from her babysitters, but he didn't feel so lonely anymore whenever he could hear the tiny puffs of breath the small chibi let out as he tried to remember the lessons his father taught him before.)

(Until-)

...

..

(Until one day, she didn't come anymore and days turned into weeks into months and-)

(Sasuke eventually got used to being on his own again - studiously convincing himself that he didn't care, no.)

.

(It didn't really work.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Chapter 8 would be uploaded in September. Thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary:** In which Kyoya is still possessive with things (or people) he called his.

* * *

**8.**

When Uchiha Shisui died, it wasn't that Kyoya didn't feel anything.

After all, Shisui was _his_.

 _His_ pet. No matter how derogatory that title may sound, Kyoya was attached to the kid that was carrying too much burden for someone who didn't even have his hairs fully grown yet.

But, Kyoya was Kyoya was after all and as much as he wanted to feel something, he still couldn't quite get it right even if he tried hard to understand.

He couldn't quite get the _grief_ that everyone thought he was feeling when it was announced that the boy was dead and how-

How one Uchiha Itachi _killed_ him.

Kyoya, however, even if he couldn't get grief as much as the other person, felt rage much more than the average population, and his anger-

It runs cold as it tries to unravel the whole picture bit by bit until he sees who's the one at fault exactly and bite that particular one to death.

So when Uchiha Shisui died and Uchiha Itachi left, the first thing that he did was to watch over Uchiha Sasuke.

Kyoya had his priorities straight and his pet cared of Uchiha Itachi's younger brother very much even when it seemed like the other Uchiha disdained him at every turn in Shisui's stories.

Shisui would say that he disliked the Sasuke in reciprocation, complaining about two brothers incessantly - his voice washing over Shikari as he went on and on with a barely-concealed fondness for the two.

(Kyoya liked hearing Shisui's voice. It was slow, gentle, and kind. Kyoya could tolerate it to a certain extent since, in exchange for listening to some of the Uchiha's worries, Kyoya got a good spar, dango, and a spot where the sunlight hits just right that Shisui had a good knack in finding, in return.)

Once he was sure that the child could function pretty well on his own and wouldn't be hurtling himself to death anytime soon, Shikari, then, went on to skulk around the village in an attempt to investigate what happened.

Since the village seemed eager on pinning all the blame to a pacifistic genius gone insane and would rather brush over the reasons why in hell didn't the ANBU and other high-ranking shinobis discover what happened until it was too late, Shikari decided to take it upon herself to chip away at the truth the whole village supposedly knew.

He sneaked around the village for several weeks, his small form a plus in keeping unwanted attention away as he tried to dig around for anything that might connect to the massacre.

(Kyoya got nothing out of it but whispers of a coup whispered by a particularly bitter old genin who got scolded for badmouthing the dead and the fact that some of the kids orphaned by war were being smuggled into an organization within the village as they trained them into brainwashed soldiers loyal to Konohagakure and to the master who has their neck in a leash.)

(The ones who survived to get _back_ were different from usual ninjas. Some were not as polished or as _good_ as the ones in ANBU, but they were _colder_ \- with tattoos imprinted in the back of their tongues for a reason Kyoya couldn't pinpoint at the moment.)

(It was almost ridiculous actually, how little people could see especially in a village lauded as the strongest, as these same kids were smuggled back in the village as agents used to influence public opinion. It was somewhat understandable since the ones who could have discovered these people didn't have the luxury to pay attention to the fodder beneath their notice during these trying times.)

(It was likely that if they did, they either were probably in on it or weren't strong enough to fight back. After all, the ones who owned these dogs were smart. The ones who were smuggled out to be civilians weren't particularly strong - hiding under the veneer of being weak to avoid pinging any radars and took advantage of the chaos to execute orders according to their master's whims.)

However, as good as he was, even Kyoya made mistakes.

Especially now since he was in the body of a toddler - operating in a world with a different set of rules and different standards for power.

(His father kept putting chakra training off and it was all Kyoya could do to hide his presence - trying to emulate Reborn's knack for hiding his presence.)

(He still couldn't quite get it right.)

(Operating in a body he couldn't quite control made him have a higher appreciation for the Arcobaleno in his previous life. How they managed to live like toddlers for years and still be strong enough in spite of it, was beyond him and truly worthy of respect.)

So he wasn't surprised when after he tried to follow one of these smuggled kids in the organization's hideout and got back home, he got faced with a stern-faced man with bandages around his head and eyes - smiling at him in warning.

Shimura Danzo.

Well.

Kyoya tilted his head as he stared at the man beneath his eyelashes.

Interesting.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary:** In which Danzo unknowingly bites off more than he can chew. (If he knew, he would have thrown the hot potato that was Shikari as far as he could get her.)

* * *

**9.**

Nara Shikari was an odd child.

Maybe it wasn't that surprising because geniuses that hold the village's fort always did have their own idiosyncrasies. It was encouraged - _indulged_ even since their prodigiousness excused them enough from the backlash of being fundamentally different from the rest of the rabble and-

Based on his subordinates' observations-

The Nara child was prodigious enough to merit this kind of treatment - coddled as she was by the clan who apparently bend over backwards to satisfy her whims.

It wasn't as if Danzo didn't hear about her before.

He knew Konoha like the back of his hand and he naturally heard rumors about her supposed genius.

He would have chalked it out to the Naras finding the toddler special because her mother was the only one who was spared it seems, from the sterility that besieged the Nara clan's women after the Kyuubi rampaged years before.

After all, it was hard for the Nara clan to not exaggerate and look upon the child with hope since it meant that if Nara Shikari lived if the clan head's own wife managed to birth another child, it'll mean _they'll_ have a chance.

That was what he concluded at first if not for the reports made by his spies that noticed the young child skulking around the village.

She hid it well, surprisingly, with only a few of his jounin-level agents taking note of her actions. The fact that she flew under the radar well enough to deceive people _chuunin_ and below - people trained by _him_ personally - at such a young age was astounding.

That wasn't even mentioning what was discovered recently by the one she was tailing earlier this morning.

The agent she was following was particularly chakra-sensitive so his subordinate noticed how the child was consciously using her unusually developed chakra coils to hide her presence.

The technique was unconventional, the subordinate shared. It was probably pioneered by the child herself - her body instinctively following her demands and would have granted her a few more days free from his scrutiny if not for her tailing that particular ANBU by chance.

That sheer amount of _talent_ -

It could rival Hatake Kakashi's genius or even-

Uchiha Itachi's and Uchiha Shisui's own.

And she didn't have the baggage those other geniuses have.

Having her as his apprentice would be a _boon_.

Nurturing a Nara child under his care, especially with her being particularly malleable at this age, would be an advantage too tempting for him to pass up.

(Danzo didn't mind the fact that she was digging around the village for information.)

(Probably curious about the massacre, he gathered.)

(He was sure he could squash the stubbornness out of her and make her focus her attention on things that matter. Not to mention the fact that she wouldn't know anything he didn't allow her to know anyway.)

Her natural talent in intelligence gathering and creating techniques - let alone how having her in his care would finally break the Nara clan's steadfastly neutral claim was enough reason for him to personally go to Nara Shikaku instead of going to Hiruzen to make the request.

(Danzo was sure he could get through Hiruzen if he wished.)

(After all, he had his old teammate by the neck after the Uchiha massacre.)

(But he wasn't taking a no this time, you see. So he'll come himself to show his sincerity to the Nara clan head.)

"You should consider my proposal, Shikaku," Danzo said gravely. "Your child has _talent_ and personally helping her hone her genius would be advantageous to the village. I'm willing to acknowledge her as my apprentice." He paused, sipping the tea Yoshino prepared earlier when he came in. "She wouldn't be wronged."

The Nara clan head pursed his lips. "She's too young."

"Not as young as the Hatake boy when he was first trained."

Shikaku stayed silent, his face unreadable.

For a minute, the sound of cups as they were moved by the room's occupants were heard as silence pervaded the room.

"What do you think about treason against the village?" Danzo started, studying the other man carefully.

Shikaku raised his brows in surprise. "Maa, what brought this on Danzo-sama?"

"Indulge me," Danzo replied, hiding a smile behind his cup.

"Treason against the village is punishable by death."

"If a whole clan commits treason?" Danzo asked.

"A whole clan couldn't commit treason."

"Of course," Danzo agreed. "But a _clan_ can be branded as traitors based on the decisions of the one who leads them."

Shikaku hummed, taking a piece of the cake on the table.

"If perchance another clan tries to help out the innocent people of a clan branded as traitors," Danzo continued. "Will that also brand the other clan as traitors themselves?"

"Oh," Shikaku didn't pause as he took another piece. "Maybe." He chewed. "In certain circumstances, they could be."

Danzo put down his cup. "In certain circumstances," He echoed. "Of course. However, in my perspective, I believe it will depend on how public opinion was handled."

"Oh?" Shikaku asked, curious.

"Public opinion. What a finicky, spiteful thing," He said mildly. "Even you must have heard how the public spoke about Uchihas before they were gone."

Shikaku poured his own cup more tea in response.

"They were fondly remembered now of course, but one would wonder how it took for them to perish before they could all be washed clean."

"How ominous, Danzo-sama." Shikaku rebuked mildly. "I ask again. What brought this on?"

"Nothing," Danzo waved a hand. "Just musings of an old man. As I've said, indulge me, Shikaku."

Shikaku laughed tonelessly. "Of course, of course."

"You would do well to consider my offer." Danzo articulated. Draining his cup empty, he stood up. "I'll be heading back."

Shikaku nodded, gaze inscrutable. "Very well. I'll send you."

Danzo stood up and let Shikaku lead the way, taking note of the precocious child they passed, who stared at him straight in the eye before she went inside and greeted her father.

He smiled.

After a moment-

Nara Shikari tilted her head and smiled back - dimples deepening as her cheeks puffed up innocently.

Really.

What a _precocious_ little brat.

Danzo's smile became wider, amused.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This was published as a seperate work because I'm going to update this monthly. If you're interested in early access and regular updates of this work and Ruminant, please go to my FFN.net profile for more details. Thank you.


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